File Under: Punk rating: B tracks 1. We On Some Next Level Shit 2. Fourteen or So 3. Austin, We Have a Problem 4. Won't Be The First Time 5. Perfect Stranglers 6. Morningleaver 7. Laughing Out Loud 8. This Is Me Hating You 9. Last Call 10. Ten related links As Friends Rust

From the liner notes of this album, one gets the picture that vocalist Damien Moyal has been through a lot in his life. Tales of addiction, being ignored by the world and seeing how of place everything is seem to be the themes of this album.

Moyal paints pictures of a troubled youth and a person looked down upon for not having what people in a more favorable position do. The line "Don't tell me what I need until you have needed anything," gives the idea that this man has worked from the bottom up.

The music on this album is what some may call "Emocore," but for our purposes, it is just rock music. The tightness of the band and the moods it creates with the music complement the lyrics and vocal tones of Moyal nicely. Sometimes it is a bit pushed, but overall the sound stays strong.

As Friends Rust definitely has some growing to do, but the strong themes that many listeners will be able to relate to and the edge rock music make it accessible for most fans of this genre. It probably will not be an album you will show off, but it can definitely get some rotations.

Samuel Barker is Senior Editor. Contact him at suma@rockzone.com.